Colitas Con Canas
Location: Urubamba, Cusco, Peru
Website: Colitas Con Canas
Description: Colitas Con Canas ("Little Tails with Gray Hair") is a dog shelter located in the Sacred Valley of Peru that focuses on rescuing elderly dogs and those with special needs. There is also a small number of cats who have been rescued and live separate from the dogs. Volunteers come from around the world with various backgrounds in animal care and are expected to help with the daily needs of the shelter. These tasks include feeding, grooming, walking, providing medical care, and other duties as needed. Volunteer housing is provided on-location. Veterinary students are able to spend half of their time at the local veterinary clinic used by the shelter, where they will gain experience in daily veterinary care, surgeries, and may have the opportunity to be involved with a spay/neuter campaign in a nearby town. Spanish language is not a requirement, but is greatly helpful in the veterinary clinic (English is spoken at the shelter, but much less commonly at the clinic).
Timeline: Applications accepted year-round, minimum 2 weeks required
Cost: $50 to cover lodging (regardless of length of stay), airfare and food not included
Contact Information: Questions about volunteer experience can be directed to Lauren Gero (c/o 2026) at lauren.e.gero@gmail.com. Questions about the program requirements, applications, and more specific shelter-related inquiries can be directed to info@colitasconcanas.org.